They were awakened the next morning by Robbie who was propped on the edge of the bed, watching his parents. "Robbie, what are you doing?" Edith asked her eldest son.

"I thought of a name," he said proudly.

"A name?" Anthony yawned.

"For my pony…he is grey. So I thought of a name."

"What's it to be then?" Anthony asked, still trying to wake up.

"Cloud," the boy said.

Edith smiled at her son until she realized he was shivering. "You are freezing; where's your robe?"

"I forgot…"

"Well, climb in under the covers then," she instructed.

Anthony started to protest but the boy was too fast and had snuggled under the covers before he could speak. Suddenly Robbie began to giggle.

"What are you laughing about?" Edith wanted to know.

"Papa forgot his pajamas again," the boy announced with another giggle.

"Oh dear…and I warned him about that," Edith said smugly. "Well, why don't you run back to your bed and stay warm for another few minutes. We'll call you for breakfast and then see about the gifts under the tree."

"Alright, but I already have the best present ever," he informed his mother as he crawled out again.

Anthony watched as Robbie disappeared from the room. Then turning to Edith he smiled. "He's wrong you know…"

"Wrong?"

"Yes, because you see, I have the very best gift ever," he informed his wife as he leaned in for a kiss. Just as he reached her lips, she giggled. "And what would that be, dear?"

Pulling back only slightly he murmured, "You, my dearest. You are the very best gift ever." And then he landed his kiss, which turned into another, and another and was about to turn into something more until they heard little Charles squirming in his bed.

Slowly pulling away from her husband, Edith looked into his now heavily lidded, very arousing eyes, and smirked. "Merry Christmas, my love."

Anthony grinned unabashedly. "Oh, it promises to be very merry indeed," he winked.

They went to Downton that evening for dinner. The whole family was there, including Tom and little Sybie, who wasn't quite so little anymore. The very pregnant Mary was seated on the sofa with her son, Edward snuggled closely. Matthew was engaged in conversation with Anthony over some new farming implement; while Isobel, Tom and Cora were listening to Robbie tell them and his cousin Sybil about his new pony. Robert sat in a chair near his mother, the Dowager Countess. Little Cora was curled into his lap, both quite content with the arrangement. Charles was next to Edith on the opposite end of the sofa from Mary.

"You're keeping him very close tonight," Mary commented, her eyes on her youngest nephew. "Is he alright?"

Surprised that Mary even noticed and even more cared enough to ask, Edith took a moment to construct a response. "He took a spill the other day, had quite the little concussion. Anyway, Dr. Clarkson said that he should be quiet for awhile, not too much excitement. We're watching him closely for any signs of trouble."

Granny, overhearing the conversation joined in. "Oh my goodness…a tumble you say? Why little boys tumble all the time; it is a part of their growing up, I should think. Don't you think, Robert?" she asked turning to her son. But before he could respond, she continued. "I remember the time you fell out of the loft in the old stable. Knocked you out, as I recall. For some time after, I thought it might have knocked all your marbles out too…you were quite the little urchin after that…getting into all sorts of mischief until one day your father just simply had to lay down the law."

Robert chuckled. "Yes, I remember. But I had been quite the little urchin for some time before that; that's how I came to tumble out of the loft."

"Yes, well…" the Dowager agreed and then turned back to Edith. "So you see, he will be quite alright. Your father did turn out just fine, although there have been times I've had my doubts as to his good sense."

Robert and Cora rolled their eyes in unison and Mary and Edith smiled. Everyone in the room knew exactly to what she was referring. It was the age old battle with the Americans and Robert's decision to marry one. Even though Violet and Cora Crawley had made their peace long ago, the Dowager still couldn't resist an occasional snip at her daughter-in-law.

"But it wasn't his first tumble Granny," Edith said, getting the conversation away from Robert and his sense or lack thereof. "He actually had a convulsion and we all saw that with the patients here after the war. Dr. Clarkson says we must be very careful for some time that he doesn't so it again. He's afraid, we're all afraid of lingering consequences," she said as she glanced up at Anthony for comfort.

He was watching her, his eyes firmly on her as if she were the only one in the room and yet she knew he was aware of everyone watching. His small crooked smile gave her confidence as she turned back to face her Granny.

"Yes of course you are concerned, as any mother might be," the Dowager Countess was saying. "But what consequences are we worried about? Perhaps he'll lose his marbles and marry someone from that wretched Hollywood place where all those dreadful moving pictures come from… oh, that would be dire indeed."

It was Anthony who came to Edith's rescue. "If Charles is able to grow up healthy and happy then we shall be quite pleased that he is able to marry one of those wretched people."

Mary joined in with her support. "A movie star in the family? Won't that be exciting?" She smiled at Edith before shooting looks with daggers at her grandmother.

Granny, understanding that she had pushed too far, backed off. "Well of course we all want him healthy and happy. He is after all a Crawley."

"Strallan," Anthony corrected softly, earning the chuckles of nearly everyone in the room.

A few minutes later, Anthony felt Edith's stare. Easing closer to her, he bent down and whispered, "you're doing it again."

"I know I said I wasn't ready yet, but I think I've changed my mind. Could we…?"

"Of course my darling, whatever you wish." He straightened up but claimed her hand in the process. "If we might have everyone's attention, please," he began. All faces turned to him and then to Edith, wondering what was happening. Edith remained seated, but happily smiling, her hand encompassed by Anthony's much larger one. "We um…we've something to share with all of you..," he continued.

Cora rose form her seat, beaming. "Another one? Oh my darling…" she was next to Edith in an instant, squeezing between her daughters and their offspring on the sofa. "Oh this is wonderful," she said as she hugged her middle daughter.

"Well, that makes what I was about to say rather anti-climatic," Anthony said sheepishly. The men gathered around him, congratulating him and patting him on the shoulder. Robert rang for Carson, who appeared almost instantly. "Yes, my lord…"

"Carson, break out the champagne. We've got a new addition to the family to celebrate."

Carson looked around the room, perplexed at first. Lady Mary was still seated on the sofa, so it was not her time. But then he saw Lady Edith and the men gathered around Sir Anthony and understood. "Yes, mi'lord." Turning subtly to the Strallans, he gave a stiff nod. "May I offer my congratulations, Lady Edith…Sir Anthony."

Anthony crossed the room and took Carson's hand, shaking it. "Yes, you may Carson…certainly. And thank you."

Carson, unused to having his hand shaken by his upstairs family, straightened his coat and then turned to make a quick exit. What had come over all of them, he wondered.

Mary's baby was born just after the new year. It was a little girl who they named Roberta Louise. Edith and Anthony and everyone in the family continued to watch over little Charles until they were certain he was well and able to play with the others. Dr. Clarkson thought the threat of consequences was slim but cautioned that he would need monitoring for a few more years for signs of any. A new nanny was hired after being thoroughly researched and she seemed to settle into her role quickly and amazingly the children seemed to like her. Winter warmed into Spring and Spring passed into Summer. Robbie learned to ride his little cob pony, Cloud and was proving to be an adept horseman. Little Cora was blooming into a very charming little lady much to Edith's amazement. Sandwiched between two rowdy little boys, she had feared their darling little girl would become a bit of a tomboy. But Cora continued to entertain her dolls with tea parties and behave always as the little lady of the house and the apple of her father's eye. July came and on the seventeenth, Edith gave birth to another daughter. After much of deliberation they named her Abigail Violet.

Anthony was pleased with the latest addition to his progeny. She had her mother's coloring, her soft brown eyes winning him over instantly. She proved to be a sweet natured baby, always cooing and happy. As the months passed she delighted in the smallest of things, laughing and bouncing at the antics of her older siblings, who were thrilled to entertain her.

Very quickly it seemed, another Christmas was upon them. That Christmas Eve, Edith pulled another secreted package from under the tree. Anthony looked at her warily. "Not again?" he gasped.

"No my darling, not this year," Edith giggled as she handed him the package. Opening it, Anthony was intrigued. The box was not really big enough to be another enticing piece of lingerie like she had wrapped for him two years prior. Finally opening the box, he stared at what was inside. Carefully lifting it, he admired the beautifully intricate etching into the body of the piece. On the back was a tree of life with tiny leaves and roots that seemed to spread everywhere, circling around to the front. And as he turned it to see the front, he read his initials inscribed. Opening the timepiece, he saw that it was a Cartier. But what made him gasp was the tiny portrait in the cover. It was Edith with all the children, all smiling and looking out at him lovingly. He stood mute from all the emotions coursing through him. "Oh my," he finally managed.

"You like it?" she asked eagerly.

Lifting his eyes from the pocket watch, he looked into hers. "It is a very thoughtful gift, one I shall cherish always."

"Look in the back…there's an inscription…" she said excitedly.

Anthony opened the back side and just as she said, there was an inscription. I will fasten on this sleeve of thine; thou art an elm, my husband, I a vine. Anthony contemplated the words and looked at her wordlessly but with a question in his eyes.

"It's Shakespeare," Edith said happily. "Do you like it?"

Befuddled, Anthony smiled. "Why yes, but...well, it seems rather the other way around to me, don't you see?"

Edith took his bad hand in hers. "No, I don't see. You are my tree, my strength…my life and my greatest joy."

"As you are to me, my dearest," Anthony rejoined. "I firmly believe that I would be dust in my grave by now if you hadn't insisted that I marry you. You resurrected me, my love, and made me whole again."

"Oh Anthony, we are quite a pair, aren't we?" Edith said bitter sweetly.

Glancing back at the watch and then into her eyes, Anthony grinned. "Oh yes, my dearest darling…quite a pair."

Just then they heard the clock in the hall chime midnight. They stood gazing into one another's eyes as the last chime sounded. Breaking into his sweet, crooked grin whispered, "Happy Christmas, my love." Edith's response was silenced by his lips on hers with the first kiss of the happy day.

And that is the story;-) A Merry Christmas to all!